Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-06-29
NEVADA In IT'S PRIME.


ginia City after an absence OF near
" seven years was, indeed, q
revelation TO one who had seen
il under the influence OF the flush
times of 1874. 1t has frequently been
prophesied OF late that Nevada would
lose it's identity as a state by reason
of the flight of It's population. 1would
not be surprised; tor, as a matter OF
fact, Virginia City, which is practically
all there is, or ever was, OF Nevada, so
far as population goee, is gradually
being depopulated, although 1t is no
unusual thing to see Mackay and 9TH
er old time financial magnates look
ing over the hoisting-works as If there
might be possibility OF another
boom. In view of this possible col
lapse OF Nevada, its crowded past is
worth the contemplation OF the stu
dent OF s'rising and falling" as Simon
Wegg would say.
NV first visit to the great bonanza
town was in 1875, and l staid there
tor more than year. This was an
eventful year for Virginia City, year
in which there was probably more
money ''in sight" and in circulation
than IN any other year OF the towns
existence. These were veritable flush
times. Fifteen faro-banks were run
ming in full blast and "wide open" day
and night on G street, and the cease
less puff, puff, puff OF the several
hoisting-works made music to the
miners ear all the summer and winter
long. How we'll [ remember it on the
clear, star lit winter nights under the
shadow of Mount Davidson. "COn-
Solidated Virginia" was paying ST.
100000 q month in dividends; twelve
thousand miners were employed at
the different mines and money was
ali-plentHul. 1t is not g. stretch OF
imagination to say there were no peo-
pie in Virginia City hard up Good
times were part and parcel of every
mans life.
The miner toiling for Sd per day in
vested his monthly wages al mining
stocks or the faro bank. Some or
them made hits and kept ct it. 9th
.ers went to the wall and cheerfully
took up their burden again, and as
cheerfully looked forward to next pay
day. Nearly 100000 were dis
bursed monthly IN wages, to say moth
ing Of the tremendous amounts paid
out for supplies and power. Mining at
great depths, with wood at $12 per
cord and $250,00O pumping engines,
is expensive. But the returns were
enormous, too, and agood deal of the
money circulated constantly IN Viz
ginia City. In the early morning you
might have seen John Mackay, in
pea. Jacket and white slouoh hat, driv-
Ing from the Con Virginia office to the
different mines and mills in which the
ssbonanza" firm wers interested; and
had you approached him st such a
time with g. question you would have
received monosyIlabic reply. You
may he sure you would never get 8
pointer on stocks. He told me one
day In 1876 that he had not given a
apointer" on stocks TO anyonein nine
years And why should he, when
these favors could come with such in
finite grace though his agents in
"'Frisco ?" Con Virginia was then
producing about zoo tons of ore per
day.
Mackay was we'll liked during the
flush times, and Fair-well, he was
not hated. The feeling in regard to
him was best expressed in the appel
lation they gave slippery jim"
If ne was slippery, he was at the same
time the most competent man on the
Comstock to handle the stnpendous
interests III his keeping. For never
was any business firm subjected to
the incurslOns and Jobs of d more per-
sistent gang of bloodsuckers, ,cormo-
rants and parasites than the ''PauDer
.Alley' leeches who tried from time to
time to fasten themselves upon the
,Quartette of suddenly enriched 1rlsh
men composing the bonanza tinnl.
Mackay Was originally g. JOvlaA, good
hearted miner, generous and truthful.
AS long as 1874 he had come to fear
every stranger who approached him,
knowing full well from oft-repeated
eE Oerience that no matter what the
subject OF a. conversation when START
ed. the conclusion was almost tlVarl-
abIy g. request for money. [ have.
seen him in a. fit Of observation-disclosures
suddenly approach mirror, and
catching sight of his reflection think
for q second that it was some one else,
and iuvoluntarily start back alarmed.
Oneehe showed me large drawer full OF
begging letters from strangers, one of
whom asked for 500, O0O-think OF;
it.
Another time a woman desiring to
deliver some sort of lecture in Virginia
City went to Mackay and asked him
to buy some tickets. $50 ahead with
your lecture" hesaid, "and if it don't
Dav cosae to me afterward." She did
so and came to him with pitiful tale
He was busy talking with someone.
He never answered the woman, but
moved around behind the Office rail.
o,oo,od O Irauar and took from If a.
handful Of $50 gold pieces, which he
pressed into her hand, and during it
all he kept up his conversation with
his friend, never even apparently look
ing at the woman, and certainly not
exchanging a, syllable with her. She
was paraly zed, but not enough to
cause her to let go! They never are.
Mackay gave away thousands every
year. He has quietly assisted q great
many people, but never knew him to
RI in